Chapter 14

The image was a familiar one. The house had been trashed again. Silence hung over it like a shroud. Bits and pieces of broken plates and shattered glass covered the floor, along with the usual upturned pieces of furniture, and the flower pots were uprooted; dirt spilled out over the already stained carpet.

The house had been a boxing ring with my mom as the primary punching bag. She’d seen it coming and sent me to Ash’s place, our version of a safe house. Even my dog, Toto, was hiding. I knew he was safe; somehow he always escaped. The house was too still, I was scared for mom. I made my way through the debris field; my temper rose, building from a trickle to a flood of anger over the senselessness.

“Mom? Where are you?” I called out, but my voice was lost. Right before my eyes the scene changed yet was the same. I knew mom wasn’t a part of this scene…my scene… my apartment.

Someone was standing on my balcony, the sun outside surrounding him. I’d surprised him and he turned to stare me down, his deep green eyes recalled a memory… another dream.

His blond hair was bleached white by the sun and flowed over his shoulders. His long sleeves were pushed up, revealing intricate tattoos on both of his forearms. He held a the strap to a bag in one hand, ready to heave it over his shoulder. For his small frame he seemed very well-built, the long muscles pulled tight.

I tried to run at him, ending up in the perpetual slow motion of dreams. He put one hand out as if to stop me. He said my name… his voice… it was as if he knew me. “Megan.”

I stopped in my tracks. I blinked and he was gone without a trace. “No!” I screamed this time, my voice at full volume, shaking through me. I sat straight up in the bright sunlight that flowed through the windows. I was breathing like I’d just run up a flight of stairs. I blinked several times before I realized where I was and tried to gain some control.

“Megan… love,” his cool hand held mine, the other brushing my hair from my eyes, his eyes reflecting the anger I was trying to rein in from the dream. Our breathing fell into sync, slowing as we stared at each other. I closed my eyes, willing the anger to fade. It was just a dream, I reminded myself. I could feel his reaction to my memories. I felt guilty for being the cause of it. He seemed to struggle with the outside influence the link had on his own emotions.

With a deep breath I opened my eyes and tried to relax. I could already tell that I hadn’t slept enough; my eyes were stinging from the light.

“Hi.” I managed to whisper the word while resting my head on his shoulder.

“That was quite a scene you replayed,” he said, his voice sounding a bit tight.

The flashbacks were causing their own havoc. My memories of growing up were not all rosy and pink, with lace and dollies. But the stranger in my dream… had Geoffrey seen him as well?

“The dreams? Yeah, one of many,” I said, sitting up, stretching my cramped legs. I was tangled up in a beautiful white comforter. I realized I was in a huge California King bed in a room with large open beams and natural colors that mirrored the rest of his home. I leaned into him, trying to hold onto this little moment of calm.

“In the dream, the stranger, I didn’t recognize him. Do you?”

“Megan, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there, I should have been.” His eyes dropped down in guilty shame.

“It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have done anything.” His head rose up, his lips drawn into a tight, thin line. I edged back slightly, not knowing what he was reacting to, me or the dream.

“But it is, Megan.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Last night…” He hesitated. I felt something, a sensation of guilt, of unease.

What’s going on? I asked silently.

“As soon as I got off the elevator…there it was.” His voice was thick with implication.

I waited as patiently as I could. “What’s it?”

“A scent, someone else’s.” His posture became rigid as he remembered.

“Yeah, someone broke in, of course you’d pick it up.”

“It wasn’t human.” His eye color shifted, a darker hue taking over. “It was another one of us, one I didn’t recognize. We all give off a scent. The older we get, the stronger our scent becomes.”

“Oh. So…” As what he said sank in, my mind began whirling. “Oh! But why would another vampire…” I trailed off as it dawned on me just how close I’d come to a vampire of the real kind! I felt the color drain from my face.

“Whoever it was… was looking for you. I’m sure it was easy, my scent mingled with yours.” He shook his head, upset.

“Me? Why? I’m not anyone…”

“Megan, it’s because you’re the link.”

“How would they know?”

He rose slowly, making his way to the French doors, looking out into the midday sun. I grabbed the comforter and joined him, leaning against the door frame.

“I’ve noticed more of my people upstairs, working the crowds.” His words seemed stunted as he began to pace, thinking it through. “At first I didn’t think anything of it. From time to time, vamps do relocate… but a select few… I’ve watched them order their drinks specifically from you.” His serious eyes met mine. “My scent is a part of you that alone would draw them to you. But if for any reason they’d been able to pick up on our silent conversations, it would tip them off to us… to you.”

I could feel this troubled him, realizing that he’d led them to me. “How could they ‘hear’ us?” I asked as we sat back on the bed.

“Some of us have different abilities—more than the usual ones.”

“Such as?” I prodded.

He fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable discussing this with me. “Some of us can sense relationships between people or can see the future. I’ve even heard of a family with the ability to influence the elements. But it’s the news from my contact for the Inner Circle and Marco that is disturbing.”

“Inner Circle? Marco?” His reaction told me he’d said too much.

“Marco is my sire—and he’s a story for another time. My contact had said that he now has a new toy amongst his guard, one that can hear other’s thoughts.” We both sat, silently holding each other.

“Why did they trash the place then? We weren’t there.”

“To make it look like a human crime. Only we can smell our kind. The police wouldn’t know what to look for. Did they take anything that you noticed?” He stood and started pacing, thinking.

“They took Ash’s laptop, but I didn’t save anything on it.” I looked around, scanning the room quickly, suddenly realizing what I was searching for. I climbed off the bed and reached for my bag, which was draped over the chair. “This,” I said, holding up the flash drive. “This is my journal. None of it was stored on the hard drive.”

“Where was this?” he asked, his nose crinkling as he looked at it.

“Well hidden,” I smirked.

“It must have been, to throw off the vamp. Curious, since the place was turned upside-down—do you mind telling me where it was?” His own smirk reflected mine.

“Let’s just say growing up I got really good at hiding things that I didn’t want discovered.”

“Because of your stepfather?” His eyes tightened at my memory of the fool.

“Yes.” No need to bring him up. All the dark news was spoiling what little sunlight was falling on me. I sighed, running my hand through my tangled hair. I looked up and he sensed my gray, cloudy mood. Then my stomach growled. I blushed so fast it was like my entire body had turned into a tomato.

“Does someone need breakfast?” he asked, smiling and raising one eyebrow. His eyes were bright and clear today.

I raised my head up enough to see over him, eyeing the clock. Eleven in the morning? No wonder I was starving.

He brushed my hair with his fingers, sending a tiny thrill through me, but also a wave of embarrassment. I wasn’t used to being seen first thing in the morning.

A slight, scheming grin grew across his face. “Do you have plans for today, as it is your birthday?” He sat gently on the edge of the bed as I partly hid under the covers, trying to hide the stench of morning breath.

“No, not really. I didn’t know I’d have the day off. Why?” Maybe some more one-on-one time, I hoped silently—but then my own self-doubt burst that bubble.

“I have an idea if you’re up for a ride on the motorcycle,” he continued. “When was the last time you went up to Mt. Rainier? It’s a beautiful day outside. I thought we’d enjoy the fall colors on the way up.” He had a hopeful look on his face, like he truly wanted to spend more time with me. Then I remembered my place was trashed and in dire need of a deep cleaning. I dreaded going back but I had to. He eyed me, about to object, then let me rant.

“I know what you’re going to say but I can’t put it off, it’s a mess and I need to clean it up.” I didn’t look at him, already feeling the guilt of saying no to him, especially on my birthday. His gentle stroke to my cheek coerced me to glance up. A Cheshire grin met my eyes.

“Yes, about that. There’s no need, actually.” Now it was my turn to object but I held my snarky tongue, allowing him to speak.

“Pepper, Tracy, and Andrew already took care of it.” My mouth popped open awkwardly. It had been such a mess, now I was totally and hopelessly mortified that they’d seen it that way.

“And no, I didn’t ask them, quite the contrary. They didn’t want your birthday to be spent cleaning up. It is their gift to you.” I didn’t know what to say, decided to get over my embarrassment and accept his offer.

“The mountain, now that sounds like fun. I haven’t been up there in years. Not since mom…” I trailed off, trying to stop the memory before it gained full force. I tried to replace my smile. He noticed my hesitancy.

“Meg, you don’t have to talk about her if you don’t want to.”

How did he know? Had I told him? Then I remembered just how long he’d known me. It still didn’t make it any easier to talk about her, though. “Sounds great,” I said, cutting him off, not wanting to go down that road. I noticed my bag was full of clothes. I didn’t remember packing, but it dawned on me—it must have been Ashleigh.

Geoffrey caught my thought and responded, “It was. She’s a true friend if I’ve ever seen one.”

He picked up my bag and placed it next to me. Thank God she had packed some of my more decent clothes—and ironically enough, my hiking boots.

“I’ll let you wake up. The bathroom and shower are right through there.” He pointed across the huge room to an even more enormous bathroom. He gave me the lightest of kisses and left.

The room was vast compared to my apartment. I was pretty sure I could put my entire place in his master bedroom. I walked into the bathroom and my jaw dropped. Not only did it have huge custom sinks and vanity mirrors (which of course every vampire house has to have), but the shower was a dream come true. There were dual shower heads and enough room for an intimate shower for two. I shook off that steamy thought, praying he hadn’t caught wind of it across the link.

I showered quickly and toweled off with the thickest terrycloth bath sheets I’d ever seen. Ash had packed my favorite worn Levi’s, a Joan Jett concert shirt, and an Abercrombie sweatshirt, the last being a gift she had insisted on giving me when the weather turned cold.

I came out into the hallway hopping, trying to shove my foot into my boot. I must’ve looked like an idiot jumping up and down.

Geoffrey gracefully got up and helped me to the couch. “Let me help you with those. Sit down, you goose,” he quipped with a smile, kneeling down to help me. He tugged once, easily sliding the boot on.

Goose. That was my mom’s nickname for me when I was little. I sat there with my mouth hanging open, my eyes wide with surprise. When he looked up, he saw my expression. “What?”

“It’s nothing. My mom used to call me that. Goose. You just caught me off guard, that’s all.” I tried to sound casual, halting the tears.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Meg. I didn’t mean—” His face was full of sympathy.

“Shh.” I closed my eyes, shook my head, and put my hand up to wave off his tenderness. I knew that if I accepted it, the water works would break open.

“You couldn’t have known. It’s okay, really. I’m fine.” I held the small ache inside, not letting it out. He was still kneeling before me, and we were eye to eye. He took my hand and started to kiss each fingertip softly, then placed it on his cheek, resting his head in my palm.

“She meant a lot to you. You whispered her name this morning.” He searched my eyes, seeing the sorrow that I wanted to bury. I turned my face away, but felt his compassion and tenderness.

With a big sigh I said, “Okay, enough of the mushy stuff. Let’s get going before the day is totally lost.” I stood up, taking his offered hand.

“Are you still hungry? I know a little mom-and-pop place on the way. They make the best home fries.” He gestured to the door. As we walked through the house, I noticed there was no sign of the others.

Geoffrey caught my thought and responded, “That’s because they wanted to give you some space. It’s a lot to take in, all at once, knowing about us.”

Concern crossed his face but I wasn’t about to have it. “Enough of that. You don’t need to be concerned. Who I know is my business, not anyone else’s. It doesn’t matter to me that you have a liquid diet. I know carnivores and vegans. So what if you have an alternative food source?”

He looked at me as though to question my sanity, then shrugged it off, and we made our way out to the garage, where a helmet and warm windproof jacket were waiting for me.

The cool fall air felt so refreshing, clearing away the dark clouds that tried to sideline my growing feelings of fun. Quickly we made our way through town, up and down the familiar hills. In no time we were heading south on I-5, passing through Federal Way to Fife, around the Tacoma Dome, then through the curves farther south to Highway 512.

There are many ways to get to Mt. Rainier: freeways, highways, and back roads. Even before we approached the exit to 94th Avenue, I knew we were taking the back roads. I’d spent my childhood growing up on South Hill. The main strip, Meridian, was just one lane headed in each direction. My street, 94th, ran parallel to it. Anyone who grew up there knew you didn’t take Meridian unless you had a death wish; by the time I was in my teens, the traffic was horrible.

He took the familiar right turn on to 94th, then he made an unexpected left. We pulled into the parking lot of a small, plain restaurant. It looked almost antique compared to the more modern buildings and latte stands around it. I flipped up my visor and took off my shades, smiling. It looked just as I remembered it and the aroma was a familiar comfort. I’d been here on those rare occasions when my mom and I could get away. How ironic that he would bring me here now.

“How do you know about this place? I thought you were a city boy.” My curiosity was getting the better of me as I pulled my helmet off.

“Oh, I’ve been out here a time or two. Why?” He took my helmet, holding the restaurant door open.

“Let’s just say I’ve been here before,” I said, unable to hide a grin. “Has Ashleigh been telling you stories?” I asked as we were seated at a table in the back. Seeing him in a restaurant made me wonder just how he would play this off. He didn’t eat regular food.

“Now what would make you think that?” He waived off the offered menu and said, “I’m good, thanks,” to the waitress.

“Just curious.” I didn’t even look at the menu, knowing what I wanted. I ordered an omelet, home fries, and a hot chocolate.

He sensed my question before I voiced it. “No, I don’t eat ‘regular food’ as you think of it. It has no flavor or scent for me, but if I was put into a position where I needed to play the part, then yes, I could technically eat.”

“But how do you—” The grossest idea crossed my mind and I chose not to finish the thought.

“Let’s just file that under TMI, shall we?” he joked. We both laughed and I felt the strangest thing on my face: a smile.

He stood up. “I’ll be right back. I left my Thermos in the saddlebag. Don’t go far,” he added, winking. He returned just as the waitress came with my order and I wondered what was in the Thermos. The fries and huge omelet disappeared quickly, but for some odd reason, the food tasted off. The aroma coming from his Thermos, however, set my mouth and stomach watering. It was the strangest thing, I was hungry but I wasn’t. Weird.

He paid the check and left the waitress a huge tip; it probably made her day. I couldn’t help but think it must be nice to drop money like that. Once we were back on the bike, we flew down my old streets. The air was cool and crisp, and even with my jacket zipped tightly I felt chilled. But the autumn sun was out, shining through the bright red and burnt orange leaves. As the breeze blew them to the ground, it was almost as though it was bleeding deep red from the sky downward.

Speeding along the roads of my childhood brought memories from long ago, which was where I wanted them to stay. I’d wipe them clean from my brain if there was a way. I’d especially just as soon forget my stepfather. What my mother ever saw in him was a mystery to me. Arrogant, obnoxious, and self-centered were just a few choice terms I assigned to him, and truth be told I could have lived with those. Unfortunately, they were the most decent traits. Physical abuse, above all else, was his dominant attribute, though belittling me was also a hobby he seemed to enjoy on a regular basis.

Whenever he seemed edgy or drunk (which was par for the course), she always placed herself between him and me. I had an ability to see it coming, though, so I would make myself scarce. I’d go out to the woods where he normally couldn’t find me, or ride my bike to Ashleigh’s house to hide out until the storm was over. I’d return home to take care of mom, who bore the brunt of his anger on her small, frail body. He didn’t deserve my thoughts anymore though; he was dead to me in more than the literal sense.

I shoved that drawer of thoughts closed. This day was ours!

We entered the rural part of the county. Soon the cars were outnumbered by cows and horses. In a short time we entered the national forest that skirted Mt. Rainier. He slowed down as I enjoyed all the beauty of the ancient forest; old stumps covered in moss and ferns dotted the banks of the road. I tapped his shoulder, pointing to the shoulder of the road; he followed my lead, pulling in.

“Hang on a sec. You don’t mind if I take my helmet off do you? Pretty please?” He eyed my girlish plea suspiciously. “What? I trust your driving.” I fluttered my eyeslashes, trying to play innocent. I knew I looked like an idiot, but I did it, anyway.

That’s a start, then. He silently grinned. It was beginning to feel natural, hearing his voice in my mind. I didn’t know if that was a sane thing or not. I told myself not to overthink it, just feel it.

“Well since you put it that way… of course.” He smiled back at me teasingly, then pulled away from the edge, more careful now, wrapping one arm back around, hugging me.

“Hey, I’m good. Both hands, remember?” I jokingly called out, loud enough to be heard over the wind and revving engine.

We arrived at the mountain lodge, the sun hanging clear in the perfectly cloudless blue sky.

“This has been so wonderful, just the drive was so worth it. Thanks for getting me out of the house. I probably would’ve just sat around all day.” I wasn’t used to feeling so at ease with someone else.

“I enjoy coming up here, too. The silence, the fresh air washes everything away. Besides, if you haven’t noticed—I’m rather partial to being with you—maybe more than I should.”

He was holding me from behind, with his arms wrapped around me. He gently kissed the top of my head. I spied a small patch of snow just a few yards into the woods and pulled away, darting off for it. I hoped to grab a snowball before he could catch me. Even though my aim sucked I could usually at least get close. I turned and he was nowhere to be seen. I looked around toward the parking lot, the creek’s edge, and farther into the snow field. Where did he go?

“Hey, no super powers allowed.” I said aloud, realizing that if anyone else heard me, they’d think I was crazy.

There’s no one else around, trust me. I heard his words in my mind and realized just how alone we were. It was just the two of us, with no interruptions or people staring at me.

Nothing but freedom.

I walked into the forest, the tree trunks getting thicker, the moss hanging low. Off to the right, a twig broke. I spun around, too late. I scooped up another fistful of snow, closing my eyes, feeling for him. A crow squawked overhead, the chipmunks arguing farther down.

Where is he? A gust of wind caught me from behind and I dropped the snow. I turned around, once, twice quickly. Panic started to set in. Had I walked too far? Where was the path? Oh no, not now, I said silently, trying to hold the fear in.

Splat! Right on my back, a wet and soggy snowball! I spun around and saw him on top of the snow patch a few yards away, a huge smile spreading across his face. The sweetest echo of his laughter floated through the air.

“That’s it! You’re dead!” I grabbed more snow and ran after him. He grinned and vanished down the backside of the small mound. We played tag for what seemed hours in the old forest. By the time the sky darkened I was soaked through, all my layers dripping into my boots. I hadn’t laughed so much in such a long time; it was like an unseen weight had lifted off my shoulders.

He let me get in one last tackle on the snowfield before giving up. “All right, all right, you got me!” he said, raising his hands in surrender. He was laughing as much as I was, and he seemed to be more free, as though the public mask had melted away to reveal the true man he was.

With my hands trying to push his shoulders down, straddling him, his eyes flashed a bright blue, holding my attention. My hair fell down over my face, touching his cheeks. We were so close; slowly he reached up, taking my face into his hands. Our breathing was heavy, in sync, and I no longer noticed the cold ground. Our own heat began stirring things up.

As he gently guided, I followed his lead. First he kissed my forehead, moving smoothly to each eyelid. Then he looked at me, judging my reaction, and his soft, cool lips met mine. Softly at first, he pulled back ever so slightly. The next thing I knew, his hand was gliding through my hair, the other was on my back, the energy coursing through us. My whole body responded by molding to his. His kisses came faster, harder, following my neck to my shoulders. His cool breath flowed against my now very warm skin, and even though he was lying on a snow bank, he didn’t seem to mind.

The black sky was dotted with stars. I tried to return his passion, longing to find his mouth with my own, but my body betrayed me. I was trembling, not just from an adrenaline rush, but from the extreme cold. Barely shifting his weight, he sat up, still holding me on his lap. I rushed to kiss his lips one more time. He found my hands, pulling back slowly; his delicious mouth taunted me.

“Meg, you’re freezing.”

“Then why don’t you help thaw me out?”

He held me back from nibbling his ear. “Meg…”

I found his mouth at last, but it was drawn into a tight grin. I noticed a sound at the same moment—a clicking sound. I turned my head to see what it was, and then it dawned on me. My teeth were chattering.

“Come on, let’s go,” he said, helping me up. My knees were stiff and I stumbled forward. Once again, my savior caught me. He dusted the remaining snow from my clothes.

“You-you always seem to catch me. B-b-being in the right spot at the right t-t-time?” I sounded like a woodpecker.

He stopped in front of me and knelt down with his back toward me. “Hop on. That way you can get to the lodge in one piece. Come on.” He held his hand back to help me on. In one quick motion he stood up and was jogging toward the now lit windows of the lodge.

When we stepped through the front doors, a warm gush of air blew out. Brrr. I really was frozen. How was I going to get dry for the ride back? I took a look at my hands and they were tinged almost blue. Glancing at the entryway mirror, I noticed I still had snow in my hair. I shook it out the best I could. Turning around, I saw he had snow in his hair, too, yet somehow he still looked gorgeous, even with his hair messed up.

He caught me staring at him and smiled. Something caught his attention, so I turned. What he’d found was a huge stone fireplace, with an enormous blaze already heating the room. The room was vacant, but love seats, end tables, and overstuffed chairs welcomed us. The glow of the fire was the only light. I immediately found my spot on the rug, in front of the flames, and he had discovered a huge down quilt over one of the chairs. He helped me take off my soggy socks and boots, then hung the dripping socks on the fire screen surrounding the hearth.

“There. Hopefully you’ll warm up before we head back. We’ve got a bit of a ride ahead of us,” he said, sitting down next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. He stared into the flames, deep in thought.

I leaned my head on his shoulder, watching different shapes and figures dancing in the heat. Slowly my toes and knees became warm and tingly.

“Would you like something to drink to warm up? Hot cocoa, maybe?” he asked. He reached over and tucked a stray hair behind my ear, making me a little flustered.

Right then, the front desk clerk came over carrying a tray of mugs. The scent of cocoa and cinnamon floated in the air. “Your usual, Geoffrey?” she asked politely.

“Thank you, Sonja.”

My eyebrows raised in question. “Do you know everyone? It seems like an awful lot of people know what you want before you say anything,” I accused him, my eyes narrowing.

“No, not everyone. Just Sonja. Let’s just say she used to run with the wrong crowd, and I helped her out. That’s all.”

The aroma of the thick warm cocoa was wonderful and it felt so good going down. He eyed me over the rim of his own mug, watching me take a long drink. His own cup seemed to smell of chocolate, too, but there was something else. I couldn’t figure it out; it had a coppery scent that seemed out of place. Then it dawned me what it was.

“Is that what I think it is?” I sat back, suddenly nauseous at the thought.

“It’s the same as yours, but with some special herbs and spices mixed in. That’s all.” His answer was way too rehearsed. As he swallowed it, I felt something across the link, like a shot of energy. My own drink’s flavor paled in comparison. I drank it anyway.

“This is wonderful. I didn’t realize how cold I was. Feels like I’m thawing from the inside out.” I took another sip.

“You’ve got some whipped cream there.” He pointed to his upper lip. “Do you mind?” he asked as he moved in to kiss me. How heavenly this felt, the coolness of his mouth moving with mine. I tried to put my mug down but I couldn’t. He knew what I was trying to do, so he took it from me without breaking the kiss. Suddenly the heat from the fire wasn’t the only thing making me warm.

Completely forgetting we were in a public place, I kept reaching for him, pulling him as close as possible so that every inch of our bodies touched. My wet clothes didn’t seem to matter at this point. He became very still, pulling back. Our eyes opened wide with the intensity of our kiss.

“Meg…” he said, staring intensely. I could feel his desire as well as his struggle to control his darker nature. I realized I could feel it because it was the same exact thing for me.

“I don’t know if you realize how special you are to me. As much as I want to act on this, I mustn’t.”

He sat back and I did my best not to take it personally. He was trying to save me from myself.

“This isn’t like me, actually. You seem to bring out a different side of me, one that I’m not used to. It’s not your fault. I’m sorry if I went too far,” I said, unwrapping myself from his lap. Thanks to the heat from the roaring fire, my clothes and body had warmed up to somewhat normal levels. I sat on the small couch and reached for my socks.

“Would you like some help?” he said, handing me my socks.

I wanted to feel his touch just one more time, but I fought against the desire. “Thanks, but I can handle this. As my mom would say, I’m a big girl now.” I hoped my bad humor would kill the surging need to touch him again.

There was no sign of the mysterious Sonja as we headed out the door and toward home. We’d spent the entire day playing and laughing together. I found myself not wanting the day to end, and our drive back seemed too short. We were surrounded by city lights and noise before I knew it. He pulled up to the curb and cut the engine.

Before I could blink he was standing beside me. “May I come up?” he asked. I looked up, amazed at the fact that I hadn’t driven him away yet, but I still wasn’t completely sure. Were my feelings for him real, or was it just the link?

I reached for my keys as we neared the elevators. “Geoffrey, don’t take this the wrong way. There’s so much going on, with me, with you… with us,” I said as my heart did a strange flip on my words. “I just have to sort it out, get it straight in my head.”

“Then might I give you some advice?”

I waited.

“Don’t think. Just allow yourself to feel.” He swiftly took my wrists and turned me around so quickly I lost my balance. Steadying me with his one arm, he kissed me gently on each cheek, then lightly touched my lips with his own. I tried to remember how to breathe as he stepped back.

“I wanted to give you something to remember until tomorrow night. Hope you don’t mind.” He smiled sinfully.

“I don’t mind at all. You can always leave a memory like that any time.”

“Until tomorrow then, goose.” He smiled, and his eyes were so alive.

I returned his grin. “Drive carefully. I wouldn’t know what to do without my driver.”

“Bye,” he said as he turned to go.

“Bye.”

“Oh, Meg!” he said, stopping and turning toward me. “I had a really great time today.” He reached for my hand, kissing my wrist, leaving me with yet another memory. Then I watched him drive away.

No matter what I thought, I couldn’t deny what a wonderful day it had been. Still, I kept asking myself, Why me? Was it only because of the link, or could it actually be that he likes me? Each time we were together, more questions came up. Was I overthinking everything? My inner voice responded loud and clear—yes!

Maybe he was right. I just had to listen to my heart and feel. I’d shut myself off from the world for so long, could I learn how to let it back in? Something told me he was the key, but was I ready to accept him, no matter what?

I didn’t flinch at the answer my heart gave.